CHARLESTON, W.Va. — City officials across the Kanawha Valley are encouraging residents to support the smaller, local businesses this weekend following Black Friday’s big-box store shopping.
This Saturday, Nov., 25 is Small Business Saturday, a day to celebrate and support small businesses around the community– and one that’s being particularly prioritized in communities across Charleston’s urban districts and on to Putnam County.
Charleston Urban Works, formally Charleston Main Streets, Executive Director, Ric Cavender came on the Dave Allen Show to talk about the work they do in helping prepare the city’s districts for more and more local businesses to move into the area.
He said from the West Side Gateway Lighting Initiative, which is currently in phase two of its installation, to the organization’s Façade Grant program helping to fund development on commercial buildings and properties, they are excited about what such progress can only mean for the layout of new businesses in 2024.
Cavender said they are seeing a lot more people make the choice to shop local over shopping at big box stores through small business opportunities that are already in the area. Whether it’s local shops, restaurants, bars or breweries, he said these places make the city what it is.
“These are the heartbeats of our communities, these are the places that make us Charleston, West Virginia, these small, local businesses,” Cavender said on The Dave Allen Show.
He said while there are still a lot of empty buildings which need to be filled, Urban Works continues to help with the mission to fill them by offering incentives and education to business entrepreneurs looking into coming to the area.
Cavender went on to say that Charleston’s growing holiday events– from Holly Jolly Brawley to the new Salango Law Light the Night event at the GoMart Ballpark– are drawing more and more people to the area over the holiday season, which he said in turn also helps the small businesses.
“That’s new revenue that we’re experiencing, that the city is experiencing, that these businesses are experiencing, that the vendors set up at these events are experiencing, economically it’s great,” he said.
South Charleston Mayor Frank Mullens also came on The Dave Allen Show to talk about the growing developments in that area, particularly the progress with the ongoing construction being done at the future Park Place Plaza shopping center that will be coming to the area in 2025.
He said the new shopping center is not only expected to draw in more big retail stores and restaurant chains to the area, but there will be enough space to accommodate small businesses, as well. However, Mullens also reminded listeners to support the plethora of those businesses that are already in downtown South Charleston this Saturday, and, all year round.
“I beat that drum 365 days out of the year, how we need to support our local businesses, support our businesses downtown, I say it all the time to my family, before you get online and get all fixated with your phone and your tablet, let’s go shopping,” Mullens said.
He said it’s important to support local businesses as they are the backbone of the community.
“These small businesses in our community, they support our schools, our churches, our other non-profits in our city that give back to our community, that’s where we get our donations from,” Mullens said. “Those are the people that help us out, so we have to help them out and give back.”
Putnam County Chamber of Commerce President Ashley Alford-Glance said Small Business Saturday will be recognized and celebrated across Putnam County, as well.
She said they help host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new local business coming to the area about every week, and they are always ready to assist the new businesses and those moving to the area to run them.
“We are always excited to have new residents join us here in Putnam County and we like to make sure they feel welcome and their transition here to be new West Virginia residents as seamless as possible, so anything that we can do to assist them and their transition, that’s what we’re here to do,” she said.
Alford-Glance said Valley Park in Teays Valley will be host to a shop small business pop-up event that will bring in a total of 60 vendors Saturday. In addition, another shop small event will be held at Area 34 in Teays Valley featuring 17 vendors, as well as a similar event at Social Event Space on Main Street.
She said while the brick-and-mortar stores will be open alongside the vendors that people are encouraged to shop at Saturday, the vendors include many home-based businesses who don’t have a traditional storefront, and it’s strongly being encouraged for people to do some of their shopping at them, as well.
Alford-Glance said these vendors are where holiday shoppers will be able to find many handmade artisan crafts, clothing and jewelry that one can’t find at Walmart or Amazon, and they are items which make unique and ideal Christmas gifts for loved ones.
“You know you want to get them something nice, there’s nothing better that you can do than to give them something that’s locally-made that reminds you of them,” she said.
Beyond the Teays Valley area, Alford-Glance said there are local, small businesses across the county which will be welcoming the support this weekend.
She said shoppers can start as far as Poca with a new boutique which recently opened up at the Poca Plaza shopping center, make their way on up Interstate 64 to Winfield, Eleanor, and then on to Buffalo to see all of the local businesses each town has to offer.
